Many people who work with older individuals who have some type of print disability – whether that’s blindness, low vision, or a physical disability that makes it difficult to use standard print – are likely to be familiar with the National Library Service (NLS).
Most people love puppies- especially guide dogs! Guide dogs are one of the possible mobility aids a person who is visually impaired can use to get around safely and independently. A cane finds obstacles, while a guide dog avoids obstacles. According to several guide dog schools, the average age of individuals seeking dog guides is steadily increasing.
During our live forum, we will address the hot button topic of fall prevention. This Live Forum will be conducted on Wednesday, August 28th at 1:00 PM EDT, 12:00 PM CDT, 11:00 AM MDT, and 10:00 PDT on the OIB-TAC’s Community of Practice (www.oib-tac.org). We look forward to a lively discussion and your participation.
In Ohio we have implemented some "eligibility standards" around defining what constitutes a "severe visual impairment." I would like some input from other states in how you addressing this when a customer wants to apply but they are not eligible based on this standard. Do you tell them that they are not eligible, and how to address that if they have never applied?
Leading our discussion today is Karla Rivas-Parker from the Arizona Independent Living Blind (ILB). Karla will share how the ILB is using interactive technology to assist clients in learning new skills, and we welcome your questions and suggestions of other uses as we proceed.
Community outreach is a subject that is actually one of the four primary areas RSA asked the OIB TAC to address in technical assistance and training. Many states list community outreach as a major challenge and an area that they feel they need help with on the annual 7ob form.
Rural areas present a distinct challenge to providing services to individuals who are visually impaired and blind, and especially to those who are older.
I have had the experience of working in an urban area and in a very rural area. The barriers to individuals with visual impairmetns in rural areas seem to far exceed those of individuals living in urban areas.
